


The Case of the Missing Heiress

by vivaglam



Category: Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Genre: Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-19
Updated: 2014-11-07
Packaged: 2018-01-25 16:16:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 17,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1654724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vivaglam/pseuds/vivaglam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Pride & Espionage AU, based on <a href="http://neither-saint-nor-sinner.tumblr.com/post/83666169978/pride-and-espionage">this gifset</a> from neither-saint-nor-sinner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I HIGHLY recommend that you spend a few minutes going over the various images in the gifset before you read the story (as well as during), as I tried to incorporate as many of these scenes as possible, and maybe you'll be able to recognize them as they come up :) Some details may be altered to fit the narrative, but in general, I really tried my best to make the pieces fit and also to make the story believable and familiar (since it is still loosely based around LBD/P&P).
> 
> Note: This story was heavily influenced by Veronica Mars and Leverage.
> 
> Thanks to Ren for letting me use your gifset and to Ana Barbara for being my sounding board.

Gigi Darcy couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched.

As she strolled down the mostly empty San Francisco street, stylish in her dress and heels, she clutched her bag to her body uneasily. She was used to receiving attention, of course - one could not be the heiress to a digital media empire without garnering attention - but there was something about the gray of the sky that day and the reverberating sound of her heels clacking against the concrete that made her hair stand on end.

Somewhere in the distance behind her, a car alarm sounded suddenly, and Gigi whirled around backwards, heart pounding. She saw someone lean out of their second story apartment window to turn it off.

Gigi picked up her pace, a little clumsy on her heels. She didn’t slow down until she’d reached her own apartment and deadbolted the door.

 

The next day, she had a great day at work. The sun was shining, and she was all smiles.

Therefore, she didn’t notice the man in a leather jacket until it was too late.

She had been walking to her car in the Pemberley Digital parking garage, humming a tune to herself, when a large pair of arms wrapped themselves around her, a gloved hand covering her mouth. She would later recall the strong smell of his jacket and gloves, repulsed.

She almost got away. A couple of well-placed footstrikes and an elbow to his solar plexus got her free, and she shoved him into the SUV next to them for good measure - Gigi Darcy did not give up without a fight. But she could do nothing to defend herself against the new set of arms that restrained her and the chloroform-soaked rag that covered her face.

She had time for one flash of recognition as she looked her new attacker in the eyes, before slipping into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Lizzie Bennet twirled a pen between her fingers as she sighed heavily, looking at the casefile on the desk in front of her.

Another day, another cheating bastard. For over three years, pretty much every case she’s ever handled for Lu Investigations has involved tailing someone’s spouse, looking to catch him or her in the act of committing infidelity. It wasn’t what she had signed up for - Lizzie had set out to be a private investigator because she cared about truth, loved bringing others to justice. (Also, a small part of her would admit that she liked digging into people’s secrets.) The truth was, she was too smart for this, too quick and too resourceful for people whose idea of clever thinking was showing up at the local motel wearing sunglasses and a hat.

She _would_ ask Charlotte for something more intriguing, but the truth was, there wasn’t much excitement in the sleepy seaside town of Longbourn. She thought her boss might be holding out - Charlotte supposedly had connections in the big cities, though she never talked about it - but in her experience as the junior PI and glorified receptionist, nothing compelling ever came across her desk. Lizzie sighed heavily, causing her dark red hair to ripple with her exaggerated breath. Just another humdrum day in Longbourn.

“Are you finished with the notes on that Smith case?” Charlotte said, poking her head out from her office.

“Just about,” Lizzie replied, signing her name at the bottom with a flourish. She handed the folder to Charlotte. “Don’t you ever wish we had something more exciting to investigate?”

Charlotte shook her head firmly, causing the light reflected by her shiny dark hair to dance. “After the things I’ve seen? We’re lucky that the worst thing happening in this town is people who can’t keep their pants on.”

Before Charlotte could disappear back into her office, Lizzie interjected, “Is it okay with you if I leave a little early for lunch, since I’m caught up on my cases? I’m supposed to meet up with my sister and her boyfriend.”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll text you if anything comes up.”

Lizzie headed home to change. Her older sister Jane ran the town’s most fashionable boutique, and though she knew Jane would never judge her for her wardrobe choices, Lizzie wanted to make her proud. Jane was the sweetest, kindest person she knew, and Lizzie enjoyed making her smile.

Her younger sister, on the other hand, was a different story. “WHOA,” Lydia said, as Lizzie walked past her room on her way out. “You know, if you dressed like that more often, sis, you’d probably have a boyfriend by now.”

“A drunken hook-up in a bar doesn’t count as having a boyfriend, Lydia,” Lizzie retorted as she slipped out the door. Her relationship with Lydia was much different, consisting more of banter and teasing. In truth, she worried that one day, she might find herself tailing Lydia on an investigation, but luckily her sister wasn’t content to tiptoe around in secret with married men.

The hem of her dress rippled in the seaside breeze, tickling her thighs as she walked two blocks down to Jane’s favorite cafe. She strolled leisurely, taking in the faint hint of salt in the air. It was a beautiful town, and she loved her family, but she wanted something more. At the risk of sounding like a Disney princess, she did want adventure in the great wide somewhere. Perhaps that’s why she became an investigator… she wasn’t searching for cheating spouses and lost pets; she was searching for a place to belong.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

William Darcy was getting antsy.

He was happy to see his old friend Bing Lee, of course, but that wasn’t the purpose for his visit to Longbourn. He had been following a lead, in search of more clues that would lead to the whereabouts of his sister, who had been missing for two days now.

But despite the fact that the news of her disappearance would probably break soon, he couldn’t tell Bing anything yet. On the off-chance that Gigi’s attackers would connect the dots, Darcy would just have to protect Bing from what was happening, for now.

And so, lunch. When Bing had heard he was coming to Longbourn, he had insisted on introducing him to the girl he had been seeing for the past ten months, since moving to the area for medical school. Bing had sounded smitten; how could Darcy refuse?

Jane Bennet was a nice enough girl. She managed a local fashion boutique in the small, artsy downtown area of Longbourn. She was definitely beautiful, though Darcy felt she smiled a bit too much. At least from what he could tell, her smiles were genuine and completely guileless. Good. She seemed like one less person he would have to worry about around Bing. Just now, they were gazing into each other’s eyes lovingly across the table from each other. Darcy had to admire that about Bing - no matter what he had been through in his life, he still had an absolutely open heart.

But still… Darcy surreptitiously checked his watch beneath the table. He really needed to tend to some business, and if he was being honest, which he usually was, he was in no mood for niceties. They were waiting for Jane’s sister to arrive before even ordering drinks, so any hope of a quick meal and a polite early exit seemed out of the question.

He busied himself by going over plans in his head and checking for an important email on his phone regarding his sister. He almost didn’t notice when they were joined by a petite redheaded girl in a blue dress.

“Darcy, this is Lizzie… Darcy?” Bing nudged him on the shoulder, and Darcy gave one last regretful glance at his phone before turning off the screen and placing it on the table.

“Hello. It’s nice to meet you.” He shook her hand curtly, not bothering to stand up. Just then, his phone lit up again, and he checked it immediately. Good. It was exactly what he had been waiting for. He held his breath as he opened the message.

“Um… hi,” Lizzie said expectantly. When he said nothing further, she sat down across from him. She was surprised that a friend of Bing’s would be _such_ a shining paragon of good manners.

“And this is my friend, William Darcy,” Bing pressed on, elbowing his friend in the side.

“Ah, yes. Of Pemberley Digital,” Lizzie said. She had heard of his company - it was one of the top five media corporations in the world. Moreover, she had heard of _him_ \- he had inherited the company after his parents had passed away, and despite his reputation for being very serious and intense, there was no shortage of moony-eyed women who loved to read about him in the gossip rags. There were rumors that he had some sort of secret life as a spy or a vigilante, but as far as she could tell, people just wanted to romanticize him to sell papers and garner page hits. Sitting across from him, she saw nothing more than a handsome rich guy who couldn’t deign to put his phone away at mealtimes.

“So, are you here on a golfing trip like the other rich suits who visit this town?” she asked sarcastically.

He glanced up briefly from his phone. “No, I’m not,” he said, looking her over quickly before turning back to whatever he was doing.

Lizzie was unimpressed.

Before their food arrived, she and Jane excused themselves, and as she waited for Jane outside the ladies’ room door, she could hear Bing and Darcy’s conversation.

“What do you think of Jane? Isn’t she great?”

“She’s lovely. I’m very happy for you, Bing. “

“I think she’s the one, Darcy. I really think so.” Bing paused. “So, how long are you here for?”

“I’m not sure yet. I’m here to take care of some business, and I don’t know how long it will take. In fact, I may need to leave lunch a little early -”

“What do you think about Lizzie?” Bing asked suddenly. “She’s pretty cool.”

“She’s decent enough, I suppose,” Darcy said impatiently. “She must not have much going on if she lives in _this_ town.” Lizzie’s mouth turned down in a scowl.

“Actually, she’s a PI -”

She didn’t hear the rest of Bing’s response, as Jane emerged at that moment and the two of them returned to the table.

Lizzie braced herself for more Darcy “charm,” but instead, she found him looking at her curiously, no phone in sight.

Great, he was a starer. She preferred being ignored over being stared at.

“Bing says you’re a private investigator,” he said, as their meals arrived. “How long have you been doing that line of work?”

“Three years. Why do you ask?” Lizzie replied, rather defensively.

“I’m in town on an urgent matter, and I think I may require your assistance. Immediately, in fact, as soon as we're finished here. I would make it worth your while.”

Lizzie hesitated. New cases always went through Charlotte first. But Darcy needed her help immediately, and she was fairly sure he wasn’t going to ask her to photograph anyone having an affair.

“Okay, I’ll do it,” she finally agreed. “But why would you want to hire me? You could probably afford the best PI in the country.”

“When I arrived here, I hadn’t thought that far ahead," he admitted. "I’d like someone who knows the ins and outs of this town.”

Oh. She felt somewhat appeased.

“Also, I’m sure you could use the business.”

Lizzie harrumphed inwardly as she ate her lunch.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are much appreciated! Thanks for coming along on this weird journey so far :) I'm having a lot of fun with this!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many, MANY thanks to Jeannie and Ana Barbara for beta-ing! :)

Of course, as soon as Darcy had said Lizzie Bennet was “decent enough, I suppose,” he immediately started noticing things about her.

For example, just now, as he was saying goodbye to Bing and Jane outside the restaurant, her hair glinted slightly gold in the sunlight as she stood to the side waiting for him.

“Shall we head to my office?” she asked, when it was finally just the two of them. Lizzie knew she risked Charlotte finding out that she had accepted a case without her approval, but she figured it would be the professional thing to do. After all, Darcy _was_ a fancypants CEO.

Darcy looked at the empty beach in front of them. “Let’s take a walk out here.”

He led her to an empty bench. As they sat, he noticed how the breeze blew at the hem of her dress and how she kept having to smooth it back down over her legs. And then he noticed her legs.

Lizzie cleared her throat rather impatiently.

Darcy surveyed the shore as he spoke. “Two days ago, my sister Gigi disappeared.” Lizzie felt the frown dissipate from her face. “I need your help finding her.”

“Are you sure she didn’t just decide to take a trip somewhere and then forget to call?” Lizzie said gently. Lydia had done that before, after all.

Darcy took out his phone and started pulling something up. “This is security footage from the parking garage of Pemberley Digital,” he explained, handing it to Lizzie. The pain was obvious in his face as the video began to play on the screen. She watched in horror as the young girl was attacked and then knocked out. “We get a clear view of one of their faces, but not the other’s.”

“What did the police say when you contacted them?” Lizzie couldn’t imagine that the Darcy family name wouldn’t command the best available law enforcement officers.

“They’re doing the best that they can,” Darcy said tensely. “But sometimes one person can accomplish more than an institution can, and more quickly.” He looked down at the ground and didn’t explain himself further.

“So you think they’ve taken her here to Longbourn?” Lizzie asked after a somber pause, handing the phone back to him.

He rewound the footage. “Look. When Gigi shoves him against the car, something falls out of his pocket, and he makes sure not to leave it behind.”

It was a quick, subtle action, and Lizzie had missed it while paying attention to the other attacker. “So what was it?”

Darcy pulled up another photo on his phone. “It appears to be a matchbook from the Longbourn Seaside Motel.”

Lizzie grinned wryly in understanding. “Ah. Yes. There’s a lot of shady business that goes on there.”

Darcy grinned back. Well, at least, that’s how Lizzie interpreted the quirk of his eyebrow. “And this is where your assistance would be most helpful. I’m sure you have contacts and information that will be useful.”

“I do. Let’s move, Mr. Darcy.”

 

A quick chat with the receptionist revealed that not only had the man in the video in fact stayed at that motel before, but he was actually there now - he and another gentleman had arrived the day before. Darcy had to fight back a grin as Lizzie pulled out a fake FBI badge and put on a stern expression. It was… cute.

“What’s the plan now, Ms. Bennet?” he asked after they were out of earshot.

“The plan?” Lizzie paused for dramatic effect. “Now we _stakeout_.”


	5. Chapter 5

They agreed to regroup in an hour. Lizzie had to go home and change into stakeout-appropriate clothing, and she urged Darcy to do the same.

When she pulled up outside his hotel (which was notably a _far_ cry from the Longbourn Seaside Motel), she nearly gave a little snort.

“Seriously?” she said, as he got into the passenger seat. “Are you really wearing a bow tie and suspenders on a stakeout? The idea is to look non-descript.”

“Just like a newsie hat and pigtail braids are non-descript, Anne Shirley?” Darcy raised an eyebrow at Lizzie’s head as he unfastened his bow tie and undid his top button.

“Red hair gets noticed,” Lizzie grumbled, undoing her braids. Impulsively, she leaned over and placed her own hat on Darcy’s head.

“It looks better on you, Mr. Blythe,” she said, amused, as they drove off. Darcy chuckled to himself. And didn’t take it off.

Lizzie pulled into an empty space along the curb across the street from the motel, where they got a clear view and pulled out a set of binoculars. “The receptionist said he’s staying in room 205,” she said, squinting from the brightness of the afternoon sun.

The corners of his mouth turned up subtly as he watched her. “So, how did you get into this line of work, Lizzie Bennet?”

She put the binoculars down, but continued looking across the street as she spoke. “I wanted to help people,” she said simply. “Call me naive, but I still believe in truth and justice. Righting wrongs. Helping those who can’t help themselves. Lately though, it seems like all I’ve been doing is sitting in a parked car outside this motel, waiting to photograph people in the middle of their dirty deeds.”

“I’m sorry to bring you back here yet again,” Darcy said sympathetically.

Lizzie turned to look at him. “Oh, no, I didn’t mean… I’m helping you find your sister. I can’t think of anything more important than family. I mean, I have a little sister too…” Her voice trailed off. She fiddled with the binoculars as she thought about the idea of Lydia being attacked and kidnapped, and her throat closed with emotion. “So,” she said, her voice faltering, “how did you get into _your_ line of work?” Then she remembered and felt awful. “Oh god. Right. I’m so sorry…”

She looked so embarrassed that Darcy wanted to reach out and make her feel better. Though he didn’t. “It’s okay. It’s fine. Truthfully, I would have eventually worked for Pemberley Digital regardless. Our company helps others tell stories or teach new ideas, and we try our best to support artists and storytellers rather than just usurp their hard work. It’s something my father believed in very strongly, as did my grandfather before him, and I’m trying to continue that work.”

It was the most he’d said to her all at once, and Lizzie knew better than to comment on it. Instead, she simply nodded.

They sat there all day and into the night, unfailingly vigilant, taking short breaks individually to get food and whatnot. At times they sat in silence, and at other times they argued passionately, and if Lizzie hadn’t been there on a job, she might have stormed out of the car. (Rather, Lizzie argued passionately; Darcy stayed maddeningly calm, which only served to anger her more.)

“What do you mean, you’ve never had blue box mac and cheese? It’s a classic staple of childhood...”

“Lizzie, I simply don’t think _House of Leaves_ could ever be adapted into a film. Its very nature depends on the story being presented as a manuscript…”

“It’s no wonder you can’t think of even six ‘accomplished’ women, with a checklist like that…”

“Libraries and physical books will always be relevant. I do not believe that the rising popularity of e-readers will cause the extinction of printed books…”

“You’re a fan of the Arcade Fire, aren’t you? Ugh, I knew it when I saw your bow tie…”

“Vanity is indeed a weakness. But _pride_ , Lizzie Bennet… pride is an earned trait…”

 

Lizzie started yawning around two in the morning. On a typical job, she would be heading home right about now. They had seen the man from the video return to his room a few hours before with a bunch of takeout and beer, and he hadn’t emerged since. There definitely hadn’t been any signs of Gigi.

“You sleep,” Darcy said gently. “We’ll take turns.”

“Okay,” she agreed reluctantly, lowering her seat. “Promise me you’ll wake me if anything happens,” she added, as she drifted off to sleep.

Darcy smoothed a stray lock of hair from her cheek and sighed before turning back to room 205.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry. Or... you're welcome.

Lizzie awoke with a start around eight in the morning. Her seat was still reclined all the way back, and her hair was fanned out over the headrest.

She looked over at Darcy, who was sitting sideways in his seat, leaning his face against his headrest, eyes fluttering in sleep. He was still wearing her hat. There was a trace of a five o’clock shadow along his jawline, which contrasted with the boyishness of his face as he slept. Lizzie had to admit that it was not unattractive.

She let him sleep. The guy needed rest, after all, and Lizzie needed time to think. They probably should have come up with a better plan, rented a room themselves instead of spending the night in her car, but it was too late to change that now. She had to plot their next move.

An idea struck. She might even have the necessary equipment in her car…

“Lizzie?” said a sleepy Darcy.

“Good morning,” she said.

“How long was I asleep?” he said, sorting out the crick in his neck.

“I don’t know, since I was asleep myself.”

Darcy looked contrite. “I’m very sorry. I had planned to stay up the whole time to let you rest -”

“It’s okay. I have a plan, so we don’t have to sit here anymore.”

“Oh?”

“Yep. Up and at ‘em, Darcy. We need to be ready to go the minute he leaves.”

  
  


By the time their subject had left a few hours later, both Lizzie and Darcy were wide awake with the help of breakfast and coffee and were ready for action.

Once the guy’s car was well out of sight, they walked around the back of the motel to get to room 205 unseen by the receptionist. With a quick glance to make sure no one was around, Lizzie unlocked the door using a gadget she kept handy especially for these purposes and ducked inside with Darcy in tow. Darcy regarded it curiously but didn’t ask her about it.

“You look for clues,” she instructed.

“What are you going to do?” he asked.

She pulled out a small electronic device from her bag. “I’m going to leave behind a present,” she replied, grinning.

As Lizzie planted and then tested the bug, Darcy searched carefully through drawers, under the bed, etc.

“There’s nothing here but empty beer cans and takeout boxes,” he observed. He searched through the pockets of the jacket hanging in the closet.

“He must have all his information on his phone,” Lizzie mused. “Okay, it’s up and running. Now we -”

She stopped suddenly as she heard footsteps just outside the door. As the doorknob jiggled, she lunged toward Darcy, shoving him into the bathroom with her and pulling the door shut just as the lock finally clicked open to let someone in.

Breathing hard, she pressed an ear to the door. She heard a female voice, humming and singing in Spanish.

“It’s not him, it’s the maid,” she whispered, forcing her heartbeat to slow.

Darcy was leaning against the wall next to her, also breathing hard. “That’s good.”

Lizzie shook her head. “No, it’s not. I mean, on the plus side, she’s probably not a violent felon, but on the other hand… she’s going to have to come in here to clean the bathroom, and she’ll find us here.”

“Right,” he nodded. “So we need to get out of here without making it look strange that we’ve… been in the bathroom together all this time.” His eyebrow quirked.

Lizzie looked at him grimly. “I have a plan. You’re not going to like it though.”

“It’s okay. Just get us out of here,” he replied.

Lizzie shrugged. “Okay.”

And then with a world-weary sigh… she started undressing him.

Darcy looked alarmed. “What are you -”

“Shh. Trust,” she said sharply.

She slid his suspenders off his shoulders, pulled his shirt out of his pants and started unbuttoning it. Darcy simply looked on, flabbergasted. Just when he thought no one in the world could surprise him, there was Lizzie Bennet...

She turned on the bathtub faucet as silently as she could, grabbing a washcloth from the rack and wetting it before squeezing it onto his hair (luckily, he had left her hat in the car), running her fingers through it to make sure it was sufficiently damp (a sensation that Darcy did not find unpleasant). She swiped the washcloth a bit over his exposed skin, dampening it to make it look like he’d just gotten dressed after a shower.

“This is your plan?” he asked dubiously.

“Just follow my lead,” she replied curtly, tossing the washcloth on the floor. She grabbed him by the lapels and pulled his face to hers.

To his credit, he obeyed. Almost a little too well, she thought, as an involuntary sigh escaped her throat.

She fumbled with the doorknob behind her, and they burst out of the bathroom. The maid let out a shout of surprise.

“Oh my GOSH,” Lizzie exclaimed, adopting her mother’s Southern accent as well as a chagrined expression. “I am so sorry! I thought we were alone!” She turned to Darcy, who was fumbling with the buttons on his shirt. “Perhaps we should get a move on, darlin’, and let this lovely woman do her job. We’ll continue this later,” she added huskily, reaching up to press her lips to his neck.

“Yes, let’s” was all Darcy managed to get out. His face was flushed, and it wasn’t so much from embarrassment.

Smiling sweetly at the maid, she interlaced her fingers with Darcy’s before leading him out of the room.

  
  


Back at his hotel room, Lizzie was fiddling with her laptop as Darcy emerged from the shower for real, toweling off his hair. She unconsciously rubbed at her lips as she glanced up at him.

“We’ll be able to listen from your computer?” he asked, sitting down next to her on the bed.

“Yes, the device transmits digitally.”

“So now we wait?”

“Now we wait.” Lizzie placed her laptop on the bedside table and stood up, gathering her other belongings. “I’m going to leave this here with you while I go home and freshen up and change. I’ll be back right away, but you’ll text me if you hear anything?”

“Of course,” he said softly to her retreating figure. And because she wasn’t looking at him, she missed the look of longing on his face as the door closed behind her.


	7. Chapter 7

Lizzie returned an hour later with food for the both of them, which she handed unceremoniously to Darcy as she plopped down on the bed next to him.

“Anything happen?” she asked, as strange noises were coming from her laptop.

“He returned about half an hour ago. I would guess that he is taking a shower right now.”

“Has he said anything or done anything?”

The corner of Darcy’s mouth turned up. “I will just say that the Longbourn Seaside Motel has quite a selection of adult entertainment available to order directly through its cable provider.”

Lizzie’s eyebrows shot up.

“I muted it,” he added quickly.

Lizzie wrinkled her nose, trying not to smile.

They ate in silence for the next few minutes, leaning against the headboard side by side, with Lizzie thoughtful and alert and Darcy thinking of how cute Lizzie looked wrinkling her nose. They both sat up suddenly when they heard a phone ringing through the speakers.

They heard a door open (the bathroom door, Darcy thought, where he had pressed against her gently while her mouth…) and a gruff voice answered, “G. What’s up?”

“Still in the City. I have some business to take care of up here with the girl,” a male voice replied, via speakerphone. Darcy’s forearm tensed at the mention of “the girl.” “Did you find the other one?”

Lizzie and Darcy exchanged looks.

“No, but I’ll keep looking.”

“Don’t let me down, V,” said the voice on the speakerphone. “Mr. Hurst BETTER give me a promotion after this job. Don’t screw it up for me.”

“You got it, boss.” V then hung up and a few minutes later left his motel room.

“He said 'Hurst,'” Lizzie said slowly. “Aren’t they some big crime family in Chicago?”

Darcy was gripping his plastic fork so hard that it broke in his fingers. Lizzie grabbed his hand to check for cuts.

“Are you okay?” She was more alarmed by the veins popping out of his forearm, really, than any possible wounds. Granted, she hadn’t known him very long, but she hadn’t seen him like this before. At the moment he seemed so far away.

“Darcy?” she said softly, squeezing his hand.

Darcy felt the pressure of her hands on his, and it snapped him out of his haze. “Lizzie,” he breathed. “I’m sorry.” 

“Are you okay?”

He nodded grimly. “I’m fine.” Then something seemed to change in him. He stood up suddenly, his fingers sliding out of her hands as he closed her laptop and handed it to her. Tucking his chin to his neck, he avoided her eyes as he said awkwardly, “Thank you, Ms. Bennet, for all your help in this matter. It was greatly appreciated.”

Surprised, Lizzie stood up, reluctantly taking her laptop back. “Darcy… what --”

“I have some business I need to attend to now that requires some privacy,” he said abruptly. His eyes flicked to the door and then back to the floor.

After a long, heavy silence, Lizzie gathered her things. She said nothing as she left, though the slam of the door expressed plenty.

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

“Bing’s gone.”

Lizzie, who had long been awake and staring out her window anyway, turned to see her older sister standing in her bedroom doorway. Her eyes were bloodshot, as if she hadn’t slept much, and her expression was panic-stricken.

“What do you mean, he’s gone?” Lizzie sat up and pushed the covers aside, making room for her sister.

“He was supposed to come pick me up last night, but he never showed, never called, nothing,” Jane said, her eyes shining with tears. “He won’t return any of my messages. I don’t know if something has happened to him or if he’s mad at me…”

“Why would he be mad at you?” Lizzie asked gently, putting her arms around her sister.

“I don’t know. He hasn’t called, he hasn’t emailed. He hasn’t said anything, and I don’t know what he’s thinking, and I don’t know what I did, and I don’t know… I don’t know why he just won’t have a real conversation with me.” Jane dissolved into sobs.

Lizzie murmured soothing, comforting words as best as she could. “Hey, honey, it’s okay. Your little sister is a private investigator, remember? I’ll look into this for you.” Her expression turned grim as she realized whom she would have to talk to.

“No, Lizzie, it’s okay. If this is his way of breaking up with me, then I don’t want to bug him…”

“You deserve better than this, Jane. Charlotte and I can at least figure out what he’s up to. If he IS breaking up with you, then you deserve closure. And if he ISN’T breaking up with you, if something happened to him…” Lizzie shuddered at the thought. She really wasn’t sure which would be worse. “... then we need to find him.”

  


Darcy wasn’t entirely surprised to find Lizzie Bennet pounding at his door.

“Lizzie,” he said calmly, stepping aside to avoid getting hit as she stomped into his room.

“Where’s Bing?” she demanded.

He knew better than to insult her by feigning ignorance. “Bing decided to leave town.”

“Why? What did he tell you?”

“May I offer you some coffee?” he asked solicitously.

“Don’t screw with me,” she warned. “My sister, the kindest, sweetest person in the world, is a total wreck right now because she has no idea if her boyfriend, _your good friend_ , is missing, dead, or just being a dick. Tell me what you know.”

“Bing decided he needed a change of pace.”

“Bing decided, or _you_ decided?” Lizzie retorted suddenly. “I bet you decided that Jane wasn’t good enough for him, and _you_ talked him into leaving. He was _happy_ until you showed up here...” she added, walking to the window.

Even now, with her eyes flashing in anger, Lizzie Bennet was beautiful, and Darcy found that her presence did incredible things to the pit of his stomach. He hated to hurt her this way, and he hated himself for having to do it, but he had to.

He took a deep breath. “Actually, yes.”

Lizzie whirled around, and it was no longer just anger written all over her face but pain and betrayal as well. She hadn’t meant it - she’d only said it to get a rise out of him. She didn’t think he would actually admit to it. What kind of person would do that, would _say_ that, to another human being?

“Why?” she said quietly. “Why did you do it, Darcy? Does causing pain to those of us of a lower social standing give you joy?”

Darcy had braced himself for yelling; thus, the quiet, near whisper in which she spoke made his heart constrict in a new way, and he was suddenly very close to telling her _everything_.

“No,” he said uncomfortably. “I simply doubted her commitment to their relationship.”

“Based on what, the hour and a half you’ve spent in their company?” Lizzie said, her tone deadly.

“It was clear to me then that her feelings weren’t very strong, and that she didn’t truly care for him the way he did for her.”

“ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME?!” Lizzie’s fury was returning.

“I’m protecting him,” Darcy said defensively. He bit his lip as he added, “Bing needs to be around people who understand him. People who are his equals.”

Lizzie took a deep breath, trying to control herself. After a pause, she finally said coldly, “Well, thank you, Mr. Darcy.”

“For?”

“Since the moment we first met, you have shown nothing but arrogance, pride, and selfishness. Thank you for proving me right about men like you.” It wasn’t a totally fair thing to say, but Lizzie was hurt and lashing out.

And this time her words wounded. He didn’t respond, though she saw pain flash across his face.

Lizzie suddenly felt exhausted. “Just get out of my town, please,” she added quietly. “Go back to where you came from and find some other people’s lives to destroy instead.” And then she turned and left before he could see the tears form in her eyes.

When she called the hotel later, he was gone.


	9. Chapter 9

Lizzie leaned back in her chair, feet perched on top of her desk, sighing heavily as she thumped a tennis ball against the door opposite her and caught it when it bounced back.

She felt… awful.

She couldn’t do anything to help Jane, whom she loved most in this world, and the only person who could help had refused, insulted her, and then left town. Lizzie had never felt more powerless.

_Thump… thump…_

In addition, she hadn’t heard anything new about Gigi Darcy - as far as she could tell, there was no further information about her whereabouts, and for some reason, Darcy had not gone public with the fact that the Hurst family was involved. Maybe he was scared of them. Lizzie wouldn’t blame him if he were - aside from her anger about Darcy’s silence about Bing, she actually felt relieved that she was spared any possible entanglements with the Hurst family.

_Thump… thump…_

Bing had been gone for a week, and after Jane’s initial shock had passed, she suddenly snapped into a sort of manic phase, insisting that she was fine and littering the floor with arts and crafts projects. Lydia was spending her nights (and even some days) at the bar, but even Lizzie couldn’t reproach her too much - she was, after all, here in the office today without anything to do but to toss a tennis ball around, wondering why everything had just seemed to go horribly wrong ever since William Darcy showed up in their little town.

The door opened suddenly, and there was a shriek as the tennis ball narrowly missed Charlotte’s forehead.

Lizzie was out of her chair immediately. “I’m SO sorry, Charlotte. I was just…”

“Yeah, I know.” Charlotte smiled wryly as she picked up the ball and placed it on Lizzie’s desk.

“I didn’t know you were going to be here today. I thought you had some sort of meeting at the sheriff’s office.”

“I did,” Charlotte replied, handing her a manila folder.

“What’s this?” The folder contained a number of snapshots of Bing in what appeared to be a waiter’s uniform.

“I know Jane is going through a hard time right now, and I know everyone wants some answers,” Charlotte explained, perching atop Lizzie’s desk. “I took the liberty of calling in some favors for you.”

“You mean…?”

“Bing is in LA, living under a different name, and apparently bartending at some swanky restaurant.”

“So he’s okay…” Lizzie’s voice trailed off as she processed this information. “Why hasn’t he spoken to Jane? If he wanted to split up, he could’ve had the decency to break up with her properly. Is he there with another woman?”

“Totally alone, as far as my source could tell.”

Lizzie leafed through the other papers in the folder. “ ‘Christopher Guy’?” she read.

“His assumed name. There’s also the address of his apartment and the place he works at. I thought you might know what to do with the information.”

Lizzie looked up at her boss, gratitude written all over her face. “Thank you, Charlotte. This really means so much to us,” she said sincerely.

“No problem.” Charlotte smiled warmly. She pulled another envelope out of her purse and handed it to Lizzie. “Also, this came for you. From William Darcy?” she added, her voice full of inquiry.

“Oh.” Lizzie opened it slowly, as if it might explode in her hands.

“Is there something you want to tell me?” Charlotte looked at her expectantly.

Lizzie glanced at the tidy, even handwriting on the page, feeling a twinge of something in her chest before folding it up again. “Nope,” she said calmly, avoiding Charlotte’s eyes.

She could feel Charlotte’s scrutinizing gaze, but her boss said nothing more about it. “I can hold down the fort if you want to head out to lunch,” she said carefully, raising an eyebrow at Lizzie.

Lizzie took the hint. “That sounds good,” she replied, picking up her belongings. “I’ll see you later.”

Charlotte merely smiled, picked up the tennis ball, and waved it at Lizzie as she left.

  


_Dear Lizzie,_

_Thank you for your assistance last week. When I had first set out for Longbourn, I had been dead set on handling everything myself. Your appearance in my life proved to be blessing._

_I regret that we had to part in such an unpleasant manner. I am sorry to have caused you and your family pain, but there is much that you don’t know, and you and your sisters would be much safer if I didn’t tell you. Please trust that what was done was for the best._

_I will continue to search for my sister on my own. It’s not that I doubt your abilities; I simply fear that things may get more dangerous from here, and the last thing I want is for you to get hurt. I find myself feeling very protective of you, Lizzie… I want to keep you safe._

_Please accept my wishes for your health and happiness. Again, thank you for all your help._

_Sincerely,_

_William Darcy_

_P.S. I believe I owe you for your time spent. I hope the enclosed amount is enough._

 

Lizzie looked up from the letter, frowning as much from his words as she was from the bright sunlight. A light breeze swept by her, blowing tendrils of hair into her face.

Despite the fact that he’d written it to pay her for her services, there was something very personal about the fact that he had handwritten it himself on his personal stationery (complete with a monogram wax seal), rather than having his secretary type out a form letter. In fact, most of her clients didn’t even write letters - she simply mailed them an invoice.

She realized, of course, that she had never sent him one. She’d been too busy trying not to think about him, trying to pretend that he’d never come into her life.

Glancing at the check, she did a double-take: there were at least two zeroes too many. She felt her emotions warring inside her, but in the end, she knew there was only one right thing to do.

Pulling a lighter from her purse, she watched the check turn to ash in the sand on the ground next to her. She picked up the letter next, but as her right hand moved the flickering flame closer, her eyes fell on his name. Lizzie folded the letter again, placing it in her pocket, and brushed the sand off her legs before heading home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this was a long time coming! I was busy with life things for a while, and then I wanted to make sure my beta readers had a chance to give me feedback, since I was unsure/insecure about this chapter. I promise I will update more regularly :)


	10. Chapter 10

Lizzie wasn’t sure what was the biggest culprit for the headache that was brewing, the thumping music or the vodka cranberry that she had tried to refuse (but ended up accepting) from some random gentleman at the end of the bar.

Or it could be the fact that Jane had left earlier that day to search for Bing in Los Angeles and that Lizzie couldn’t help but be worried sick about her. Though Jane was a perfectly capable adult, Lizzie suspected that there might be some great forces at work, forces that Jane’s sweetness and kindness couldn’t overcome.

Lydia had insisted on the two of them heading out to Carter’s Bar. God knows why she agreed, but she was really starting to regret it now. She splashed some water on her face before leaving the women’s room. She should really find her sister before this evening got any worse. It was bad enough that she had a headache - she didn’t want to take care of Drunk Lydia on top of it too.

At first Lizzie was too distracted by the throbbing in her head to notice, but once she realized whom Lydia was talking to at the bar, she felt her heartbeat thudding in panic. It was the guy from the motel, V.

For some strange reason, she instinctually wanted to call Darcy, wished he were there, since he was the only other person who could understand her current emotional state, and she even considered reaching out later just to let him know that V was still here in town, but for the moment, all she could think about was getting her baby sister away from him.

Trying to appear casual, she sidled up to the two of them, who were deep in conversation. By her account, Lizzie could tell that Lydia was already quite a bit buzzed, slurring her words a bit and being overly forward in her flirting. Lizzie stood by for a few awkward minutes until Lydia finally turned to acknowledge her.

“What is it?” Lydia said, as Lizzie pulled her aside.

Glancing at V, Lizzie replied in a whisper, “I need your help with something in the bathroom.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Just… come with me to the bathroom, PLEASE,” Lizzie whispered forcefully.

Lydia smiled sweetly at V. “We’ll be right back. My nerdy older sister needs my help.” V nodded in reply, without really acknowledging Lizzie.

As soon as they were across the bar, Lizzie pulled Lydia behind a wall.

“Ow! What are you doing?”

“Please don’t talk to that guy anymore,” Lizzie pleaded.

“Why?”

Lizzie hesitated. She wasn’t quite sure just how much she wanted to reveal to Lydia just now. “Just trust me on this one, okay?”

In her drunkenness, Lydia wasn’t so ready to listen. “Why? Is there something wrong with him? Does he not meet with your approval?”

“No, it’s not that… it’s just…” Lizzie glanced around before lowering her voice. “I think he might be dangerous.”

Lydia frowned. “You know, you’re super judgmental. Did you know that? You’ve never liked any of the guys I’ve dated.”

Surprised, Lizzie replied, “I don’t _dislike_ them, Lydia. I just think you can do better, most of the time.”

Lydia scoffed. “Just because they don’t live up to your ridiculous standards, it doesn’t mean that they’re bad guys, Lizzie.” Huffing in frustration, she added, “Great, and now he’s gone.”

Lizzie’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”

“He left or something. Thanks a lot, sis,” she said sarcastically. “You know, if you weren’t so --”

But Lizzie’s eyes were on the front door. “I have to go make a phone call real quick, Lydia. I’ll be right back.”

Lydia spluttered in outrage, but Lizzie was already making her way through the crowd towards the exit. She made it outside just in time to see V get into his car and exit the parking lot. After a moment’s hesitation, she jumped into hers and followed.

 

Lydia was muttering angrily to herself at the bar. Lizzie was bad enough normally, when it came to being overly judgmental - lately it was like she didn’t even have _time_ to judgmental or fight with her.

“Another shot, please,” she called to the bartender, when a tall, broad-shouldered guy stepped up to the bar next to her.

“That one’s on me,” he said, grinning charmingly at her as he paid for her drink. Damn, he was hot.

“I’m Lydia,” she said, offering her hand as she looked him up and down.

“I’m George,” he replied, taking her hand and kissing it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't forget! I've just been crazy busy. :) Please forgive me.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that this story is based on [this gifset](http://neither-saint-nor-sinner.tumblr.com/post/83666169978/pride-and-espionage). If this all seems out of character, it's because... it kind of is :)

Lord knows why, but the first thing Jane did upon arriving in Los Angeles was to buy a pack of cigarettes.

No one else knew this about her, but she used to smoke a little bit, in college. Hanging out with the artsy crowd, one inevitably finds oneself among smokers, and at the time, she had been very interested in proving that she could be edgy too. (This phase didn’t last very long, since working with fabric does not mix well with smoking.)

The sweet smell of clove swirled its way around her as she stood on the sidewalk outside her motel, the tension in her body seeping out of her to join the air with each exhale. She got some dirty looks from other pedestrians, but she didn’t care. She had one thing on her mind right now, and that was seeing Bing.

In her overnight bag was the file folder Lizzie had received from Charlotte Lu, along with a dress and a wig. If Bing had had a good reason for taking off and going radio silent, she intended to find out. She stubbed out her cigarette on the asphalt and went into her room to change.

An hour later, she strolled into the bar where he worked, her red waves hidden underneath a short black bob. It didn’t quite work with her coloring, but it was the best she could find. She was sure it didn’t look quite natural, but her hope was to blend in in a crowd.

The restaurant was loud and trendy - she spotted a few A-listers heading past the velvet ropes at the back of the restaurant. There had been a long line outside, but luckily, whatever strings Charlotte had pulled, she was let in right away. Taking a spot at the far end of the bar, away from the crowd, she ordered a drink and scoped out the scene.

She didn’t see Bing, but according to the schedule in the folder, his shift wasn’t starting for another fifteen minutes.

She was just starting her second drink when a douchey guy in a suit slid onto the seat next to her.

“Hello there,” he said, grinning at her. Self-assuredness oozed out of every pore.

Jane smiled back politely. “Hello.” Normally she was more than happy to meet new people, but she just wasn’t in the mood for it tonight.

“Never seen you here before. Are you new in town?” he asked, his gaze moving below her neckline.

“I’m just here for a few days. For business,” she added.

“For business, eh?” he said, reaching out to skim his finger along the back of her hand. “Are you in the mood for a little pleasure as well?” He looked at her suggestively.

“Wow,” Jane said incredulously. “Are you serious with that?”

The man’s expression soured. “What, do you think you’re too good for me or something?”

That escalated quickly. “No,” Jane said, appalled. “It’s just --”

“I recruit for a modeling agency, and I spend my time with women twice as beautiful as you,” he said angrily. Jane sincerely doubted this, not because she thought so much of her own beauty, but because she thought so little of his people skills.

Her skepticism must’ve shown on her face because he stood up suddenly and knocked the drink out of her hand.

“HEY!” she yelled, standing up to get in his face. (If only her sisters could see her now, right?) Before she could say another word, though, a familiar voice (albeit cold and angry) spoke from behind her.

“Get out,” he said to the douchey guy. “Get out, and stop harassing my customers.”

Jane turned around and her eyes met Bing’s.

 


	12. Chapter 12

Lizzie followed V all the way to the bit of beach by the motel.

It wasn’t easy, especially since she had made the mistake of wearing heels to Carter’s. She was loath to walk barefoot on the street, but once they reached the beach, she gratefully dug her toes into the sand.

V stopped across from the motel, pulling out his phone and lighting up a cigarette. Lizzie ducked behind a nearby car, with her phone out, ready to record his side of the conversation.

“Hey… you got her?... Okay, I’ll clear out the room. Give me about twenty minutes before you bring her back here… Yeah, I bet… And we’ll leave for San Francisco in the morning? All right. Bye.” He hung up and walked over to the motel.

Lizzie’s ears were ringing with the mention of “her,” and her heart thudded as she saved the file. This could be THE moment, right here, tonight. She just needed to get her camera and zoom lens before his partner came back…

Lizzie felt a hand clamp over her mouth and an arm wrap around her, tugging her away from the car. She started to struggle, getting ready to clobber her attacker with the pointy heel of her shoe when she realized that the arm that was restraining her was small and that the hand covering her face was in fact feminine.

“Stop it, Lizzie,” Charlotte said calmly in her ear. “It’s just me.”

“What are you DOING?” Lizzie asked in a whisper.

“We need to get out of here before G gets back.”

Stunned, Lizzie let Charlotte drag her back to her car, where they made the short drive to the office in silence. Lizzie knew of course that she’d been busted, but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything in her own defense.

Back at the office, Lizzie sat down across from Charlotte at her desk, like a student about to get lectured by a principal. Charlotte placed a stack of photos on the desk in front of Lizzie.

There were pictures of Lizzie, mixed in with pictures of V and his partner, G. Lizzie’s eyes lingered on a photo of her and Darcy on the stakeout in her car.

“You were following me? You knew, this whole time?”

Charlotte gave her a Look. “Of course I knew. Lizzie, when a member of the Darcy family goes missing, and then William Darcy shows up in your town immediately afterward and starts spending a lot of time with the junior PI, one HAS to wonder whether something is up.”

Lizzie looked down, ashamed.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Charlotte continued gently, perching on the edge of her desk. “You’re a small-town rookie trying to go up against a major crime family - you’re in over your head. I can help you, you know. You should’ve told me.”

“I’m sorry. I know I should’ve. I was just afraid you’d tell me no. I wanted a chance to prove myself, to show that I can do this. And the thought of that poor girl being harmed by those cretins… she’s the same age as my sister, Charlotte.” Lizzie looked up at her boss. “I have to find her. I have to be a part of this. Darcy… he said he needed my help. I thought if I just stayed on V’s trail while he was still here, it might lead me to Gigi.” She hoped that Charlotte hadn’t noticed the way her breath hitched when she mentioned Darcy, but of course she knew she had.

Charlotte said nothing for a moment, contemplating Lizzie’s words. Finally, in a tone that revealed nothing, she said, “Lizzie, I need you to excuse me for a moment. I need to make a phone call.”

Lizzie walked dejectedly into the foyer. Her boss hadn’t said no, which was a good sign, but she hadn’t seemed overwhelmingly enthusiastic either. Preparing herself for the worst, she bounced her tennis ball against the wall.

With the adrenaline wearing off and the alcohol settling in, Lizzie was just starting to doze off when Charlotte came out of her office.

“All right. I’m letting you stay on the case, but I’m not letting you do this alone.” Lizzie’s eyes lit up, but Charlotte waved at her to stay calm. “At 8am tomorrow morning, there will be a private jet waiting for you at John Wayne to take you to San Francisco. I suggest you go home and pack and then get some sleep. I will continue to keep an eye on things down here.”

Lizzie jumped up and gave her boss a huge hug, nearly knocking her down in her excitement.

“Thank you! I will NOT let you down, Charlotte.”

“I know you won’t,” Charlotte said, smiling indulgently. “When you get to the airport, someone named Fitz Williams will be there to meet you. He’s head of security at Pemberley Digital, and he’ll brief you on the way.”

Lizzie raised an eyebrow. “You’re in contact with the Pemberley head of security? Apparently I’m not the only one who’s been keeping a secret.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Charlotte said, waving her off. “Now go. Sleep.”

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

The other guy spluttered and stormed off.

“Are you okay, miss?” Bing said to her neutrally. Of course he had recognized her. But his tone betrayed nothing.

“I’m fine,” Jane said, carefully. “Thank you.”

He replaced her drink and then said nothing else to her for the rest of evening. Jane stayed the rest the night, not caring how late it got, waiting for her chance to talk to him alone. But since it was a popular bar on a weekend, there were no slow moments right up until last call.

When the last customer left, he gave her a significant look before removing his apron and heading to the back.

She lingered, waiting to see if he would come back, but he never did.

“Miss, it’s time to go,” one of the servers said to her, gently cupping a hand behind her elbow to escort her to the door.

Once outside, he slipped an envelope in Jane’s hand, his face full of warning.

“What is this?” she whispered. But he merely shrugged and retreated back inside the building.

_I’ll explain everything. Be discreet and make sure you’re not being followed. Ring the buzzer for number 28._

And there was an address. She knew it was his handwriting, recognized it from the many love notes he’d written her during their time together. A quick check on her phone told her that she was going to an apartment building within walking distance.

When she got there, she rang the buzzer, and there was no answer, but the entryway door opened for her. With a haunted glance around at her surroundings, she disappeared inside the building.

Her heart thudded as she knocked softly on door number 28.

The door opened and there he was, but before she could say anything, he pulled her inside quickly and bolted the door. Bing glanced briefly through the peephole before turning back to her.

“Jane,” he said, his voice hoarse, his eyes wide with wonder.

And suddenly she was in his arms again. There was no trace of the stiff politeness, the formality with which he had addressed her earlier at the bar. It was as if that had been a different person, and now, the man that she thought she’d lost was right here, solid under her hands, his lips moving against her neck. She knew then that it hadn’t been his choice to leave her, not really.

She should have admonished him. She should have made him feel how much his disappearance had hurt her, had made her fear the worst. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Not now, as it seemed that there might be danger lurking and they might only have a short time together after all. Not now, as he was carrying her to his bedroom, his mouth leaving trails of fire on her skin.

After they finished, Bing buried his face against her neck. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” He kept saying it over and over.

No matter how badly she had felt during this time he had been gone, Jane knew then that Bing must have felt worse. She held him close, stroking his hair and murmuring words of comfort and love.

“I don’t know how you can still love me, how you can forgive me.”

“Shhh. It’s okay,” she said soothingly. “What happened? Can you tell me why you left?”

He cradled her in his arms, as if she were something infinitely precious. But there was a guardedness that had returned to his eyes after she’d asked her question.

He kissed her softly. “Come with me out to the living room. I’ll make us some coffee and I’ll tell you everything.”

 

His real name was Charles Bingley. A few years ago, he was living in Chicago, working as muscle for the Hurst family. (Jane’s eyes widened.) He had a sister named Louisa (Bing had mentioned a sister, but Jane had gotten the impression that they weren’t close) who had gotten engaged to one of the Hurst sons. Bing himself was a great favorite among the hired guns and was often trusted to accompany the bosses on important meetups as protection.

“I’ve done a lot of things I wasn’t proud of, Jane. But I did them because they were my family. My sister and me… they took us in, took care of us. You understand, right?” He turned to her, desperation in his eyes.

Jane gripped his hand. “Of course,” she murmured. She pressed her lips to his fingers.

Everything had changed in an instant. One moment, he had been standing by as a group of men were dropping off some goods with the Hursts, and the next minute, there was shouting and guns drawn. These men whom they’d thought were allies were turning on them.

“I still remember it like it was yesterday,” he said, his throat closing. “My first responsibility was to protect Mr. Hurst. I was trained to take a bullet for him. And I would have. But I wasn’t where I was supposed to be. There was a lot of shooting between our guys and their guys… and he got caught in the crossfire.” Tears rolled down his face. “And I think it was my gun that killed him.” He buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking. “The man loved me like a son, and it was my fault he died.”

Jane was crying too, as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “It was an accident.”

“Not to the Hursts,” Bing said behind his hands. “They blamed all of it on me - they figured I was the one who let the double-cross happen, since I was the one who killed him. They thought I was the mole.”

“What happened then?” Jane asked in a whisper.

“We ran. Louisa and me. They would’ve killed us both. We had to go into hiding. My friend Darcy, he moved us out to California and helped us get new identities. I chose to come to Longbourn and be Bing Lee, medical student.” He sighed. “I have been responsible for hurting so many people… I just wanted this new life where I could help people instead.”

Jane just held him close.

“And then I met you,” he said softly. “And everything was amazing. And I was so happy. But then Darcy told me that some guys working for the Hursts were in town, and I knew I had to leave. Not for me, but for you. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time now and I’m not afraid of them, but I would never forgive myself if they did something to you because of me. And I thought you’d be safer if you didn’t know anything.”

He took her face in his hands, his expression serious. “I am so, so happy to see you right now, Jane. But you shouldn’t have tried to find me. If the Hursts have been looking for me, they’ll find out who you are and hurt you to get to me.”

“I’m not scared of them.”

“You’re in danger.”

“I don’t care.”

“But I do!” Bing said passionately. “I care. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone, and I care if something happens to you, especially if it’s because of me. Please, promise me that once you leave, you will forget all about me and you’ll stop trying to contact me.”

Jane shook her head resolutely. “You don’t get to make that decision for me.”

“You deserve better than this, Jane. You deserve so much better than to be with a murderer, who has lied to you about who he is for your entire relationship.”

“You’re not --” Jane shook her head again, but she knew that he wasn’t going to listen. She knew his Resolve Face, and he was definitely resolved.

“Please, Jane. I couldn’t save Mr. Hurst, and I couldn’t keep from ruining my sister’s life, but I can protect you. I’m so happy we had this one last chance to be together and to talk about everything - and I no longer have any secrets from you - but this has to be the last time we speak. Please.”

After a few moments of silence, Jane finally nodded, tears streaming down her face. Bing was crying too. They made love one more time, slowly, tenderly, and Jane left shortly after dawn.

 


	14. Chapter 14

Pemberley Digital seemed like some sort of fictional place that only existed in stories.

As Lizzie followed Fitz Williams through the halls to a conference room, she noticed nothing but happy, smiling employees (who were greeted with high fives and fist bumps from Fitz, who was very chummy for someone who was Head of Security) collaborating intensely, having very animated discussions, or eating what looked to be food from the on-site gourmet cafeteria. It was a beautiful sight to behold, considering how unglamorous her own job was.

Even Darcy’s PA, who was now bringing them coffee and breakfast in the conference room, was beautiful, though she was less smiley than the rest. She even scowled a little at Lizzie, who was all but staring at her face, trying to figure out why this girl she had never met before looked so familiar.

“Thanks, Caroline!” Fitz said cheerfully, as he dug into his croissant breakfast sandwich.

“My pleasure,” she replied, tossing a sheet of silky dark hair over her shoulder before leaving the room.

Caroline. At the mention of her name, Lizzie’s memory produced a face - Bing Lee, talking about his sister who lived in San Francisco. Of course. She thought of Jane and wondered how she was doing in Los Angeles, if she had managed to get ahold of Bing at all.

The door opened and in walked Darcy, looking very different from the last time she saw him. She remembered the cold, insolent way he spoke to her, as well as the hurt in his eyes as she left him.

This Darcy met her eyes directly as they shook hands, but his gaze as well as his touch lingered longer than necessary for two people who were essentially just business partners.

“Hello, Lizzie,” he murmured. The memory of the hotel bathroom flashed in her head. “Thank you for offering to come here to help us.”

Lizzie just nodded awkwardly, looking away before she could start to blush. She was not here for that. Fitz looked back and forth between the two of them curiously and then smirked to himself, but said nothing.

They began to fill each other in on what had been happening since their last meeting, and as Lizzie began to describe the events of the previous evening, her phone chimed, indicating a message from Charlotte.

LYDIA was all it said. It was a picture of G and V leading a figure with familiar red hair to their car. Her head was lolled to the side as if she were drunk - or drugged.

“Oh my god.”

All the blood in her body rushed straight to her feet. She remembered abandoning her sister at the bar to follow V down to the beach, and the memory nearly made her breakfast come back up.

“Lizzie?” Darcy said, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right? What happened?”

Mute with shock, she simply handed him her phone, which still had the image displayed. Darcy’s eyes widened for a second.

“Wickham. G is George Wickham,” Darcy was saying. “I should have known.”

Seeing Darcy’s surprise brought Lizzie back to herself. “Who’s George Wickham?”

“His father, Alan, worked for Pemberley directly under my father for as long as I could remember. We had to dismiss him three years ago. This must be his attempt at vengeance.”

“And now he’s got my sister too. When you’ve already kidnapped one girl, why not add another one?” Lizzie added bitterly. “He must have realized I was helping you. So what’s the Hurst connection to all this?”

Fitz was busy typing away on a laptop. “After he left PD, he went on to form Wickham Enterprises, and it became really successful really quickly,” he explained. “Some research revealed that it’s really just a shell company - Wickham Enterprises is just a front for the Hursts’ West Coast base of operations.”

“Well, then that’s where we have to look,” Lizzie said suddenly. The two men looked at her in surprise. “We have to get in there and search for clues.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think they’ll let in anyone associated with Pemberley,” Darcy replied.

“I’ll do it,” Lizzie said immediately.

Darcy shook his head. “I can’t let you take that risk.”

Fitz said, “You just said that they know you’re working with us.”

“He has MY sister too,” Lizzie said forcefully. “Everyone at Wickham Enterprises knows everyone who works for you, but only George and his partner have any sort of idea who I am. I just have to dodge them, and with a company that big, I’ll just make sure to blend in. This is what I do for a living,” she added. “You can’t deny that I can be a big help here.”

Darcy looked searchingly at her face, and then he nodded slightly at her grim resolve. “Okay,” he said softly. “But you won’t be doing this alone. We’ll give you a earpiece to wear. That way, we’ll know right away if something happens to you.”

“Wickham Enterprises regularly offers tours and allows college students to visit or intern,” Fitz said, typing rapidly again. “They’ve got a group from San Francisco State visiting tomorrow. Try to get in with them.”

“How do you know that?” Lizzie asked, raising an eyebrow. “Are you hacking into their software?”

“Nooooooo,” Fitz said innocently. “I am just a man who knows many things, Lizzie B,” he added, winking. “They’re scheduled for 9am.”

“Okay, so what time should I be here?” Lizzie asked.

“I’ll send my driver to pick you up around 7:45,” Darcy said. “He’ll take you to your hotel now, so you can get some rest. Please try to take it easy.”

“Will do,” Lizzie replied. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Darcy’s eyes never left hers as Fitz escorted her back out.


	15. Chapter 15

Caroline was waiting for her at the front desk when she arrived the next morning.

“Ms. Bennet, follow me please,” she said coolly.

She silently led Lizzie to an office on one of the upper floors. It was large, spacious, and sparsely decorated. Looking at the framed photos on the desk, she realized it was of course Darcy’s office. She could tell that he liked things well-ordered. It was tidy, with a couple piles of manila folders confined to one corner of a work table. The laptop on his desk was state of the art.

She noticed a door in the back corner of the room, slightly obscured by a coat rack (which was holding a few expensive coats). Lizzie entertained herself by imagining that it could be the doorway to the Batcave, though she knew most likely that it was probably nothing more than a closet.

Until Darcy actually came through it. His shirtsleeves were rolled up to reveal his strong forearms, and he was clutching a small black box. If he was surprised to see her there, he didn’t show it.

“Good morning, Lizzie,” he said smoothly. “I hope you slept well.”

“I did, actually, thanks to the amazing hotel room you put me in. You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

“It was the least I could do. Especially since you didn’t accept my payment for your services previously rendered,” he added, looking at her curiously as he leaned against his desk.

Lizzie looked down guiltily, though she wasn’t sure why she was feeling guilty about not cashing his check. “That was way more money than you owed me,” she said. “Besides, it’s not just about you and your family any longer. I have a stake in this too.”

He nodded, and after a beat, he opened the black box that he was holding and took out what looked like a tiny, translucent earplug. “This is for you,” he said, “so we can stay in touch while you’re over there. We’ll be able to hear you and pretty much anyone you talk to.”

“Who’s ‘we,’ exactly?” she asked, taking it from him.

“Well, it would just be… me. I wanted to be the one to watch over you, since you’re involved in this because of me. I will look out for you.”

Lizzie wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so instead she said shyly, “I don’t think I put this thing in correctly. Can you help me with it?” she asked, standing up.

He smoothed her hair away from her face as he gently inserted the com into her ear. Lizzie felt the light brush of his fingertips against her collarbone.

“You don’t have to do this,” he said pleadingly, gently placing his hand on her shoulder and looking her directly in the eye. “The last thing I want is for you to get hurt because of me.”

Lizzie placed her hand on his, reassuringly squeezing his fingers. “It’s going to be fine. This isn’t a major operation. I’m just going in there to search for clues. It’s a fact-finding mission. I know what I’m doing.”

Darcy’s hand slid upwards along her shoulder, stopping on the bare skin of her neck. She could feel his thumb gently trace the smooth skin of her jaw and the sensation made her shiver.

“Lizzie, I --”

There was a brief knock on the door, and then Caroline entered. She looked none too pleased to see the two of them standing so close together. Darcy’s hand fell to his side, and Lizzie took a step back.

“Your car is waiting downstairs,” she said to Lizzie, sounding annoyed.

Whatever he had been about to say, the moment had passed. “Be careful, Lizzie,” Darcy said in a businesslike tone. “We’ll be looking out for you.”

“Thanks,” she said, with one last glance as she followed Caroline out the door.

 

Lizzie wasted no time upon arriving at Wickham Enterprises. Breaking away from the tour group, she made her way to an empty cubicle out of sight of the security cameras. Through the earpiece Darcy talked her through how to hack into the building’s security system.

“So, it looks like there are no security cameras or alarms or anything on the fifth floor,” she reported in a low voice. “This must be where the execs have their offices. They really like their freedom.” Checking the directory, she added, “Yep, found G’s office. I’m going to go up there and see what I can find.”

“Please be careful, Lizzie,” said Darcy’s voice in her ear.

Deleting all trace of her presence from the computer she was on, she made her way toward the stairwell, lifting a badge off a random employee along the way to help her get past the secured doors.

“Did you just pickpocket someone?” Darcy asked her, sounding amused.

“I am a woman of many skills,” she replied.

The lock on Wickham’s door was easily picked, and in a matter of seconds she was rifling through his drawers and filing cabinets.

“There’s no paper trail,” she told Darcy. “Let’s see if there’s anything more promising on his computer.”

There was nothing unusual about his desktop shortcuts or programs, but his internet browser history told her something very interesting indeed.

“Wow. He keeps visiting this one live webcam site over and over,” she reported, opening the link. “I guess if you’re going to watch adult content at work, you would definitely want an office with no security cameras…”

But as the specific page from the website loaded, she realized that it was not porn at all.

“Oh my god, Darcy. It’s them.”

The video showed a split-screen feed, with Gigi on one side and Lydia on the other. They looked tired and a bit bruised, but otherwise unharmed. They appeared to be in alone, in separate rooms. Lydia was still wearing her outfit from Carter’s.

The relief in Darcy’s voice was almost palpable. “So they’re alive. What do you see? Is there anything distinctive about the rooms they’re being kept in? Can you see any windows?”

“No, no windows. Everything looks pretty plain,” Lizzie replied, scrutinizing the footage. “No! Wait. The carpet has this… floral damask pattern? Does that ring a bell?”

“Yes,” Darcy groaned. “They’re at the Wickham Estate up in the North Bay. That carpet is all over their house. I used to hang out there a lot when I was a kid,” he explained.

“So he’s keeping them at his house? Geez,” Lizzie said, turning off the computer and checking the hallway before re-locking the door and leaving the office. “Well, at least now we know. So what now?”

“We’ll figure something out,” Darcy said. “Just get yourself out of the building and --”

“HEY!” came a sharp male voice. “What are you doing here?”

Lizzie was startled for a moment, but when she realized it was just a security guard (and not Wickham or V), she didn’t miss a beat. “Oh my gosh!” she said, affecting her mother’s Southern accent again. “I am SO glad to see you! I got separated from my tour group, and I’m afraid that I’m DREADFULLY lost.”

His expression softened, but just a bit. “You won’t find them up here, Miss. Tour groups aren’t allowed on the executive floor.”

“Oh! That would explain it, then!” She giggled. “Thank you so much. I will just head back down the stairs and see if the receptionist can track them down.”

Thankfully, the guard didn’t follow her to the stairwell.

“Okay, I am getting out of here,” she said in a low voice to Darcy, as she started down the steps.

“Please be careful, Lizzie. These people are capable of --”

Lizzie didn’t get to hear the rest of his sentence. Arms wrapped themselves around her body, a muscular bicep pressing itself against her throat and cutting off her air.

Through the com, Darcy heard gasps, and then the sounds of struggle… and then nothing but the sound of his own voice shouting her name.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for language and some violence

The first thing Lizzie realized as she came to was that she was in pain.

It was a dull ache, spreading from her shoulders down to her back as well as out to her hands. As she opened her eyes, she realized that she was sitting in a chair, slumped over a desk, her wrists handcuffed together around the base of the pedestal where a computer monitor would sit.

Someone had attacked her in the stairwell. She had been trying to leave, and Darcy had been telling her…

“Darcy! Darcy?” she said aloud, but she could hear nothing. She realized her earpiece was gone, and that she really was all alone.

She quickly surveyed her surroundings. There were no windows except for one, right near the ceiling. She could see the faint outlines of blades of grass - she must be in a basement. The daylight seemed dim, indicating that she had been missing for most of the day. Looking down, she realized that the carpet pattern was the same as what she had seen in the video footage… which meant that Lydia and Gigi were somewhere near by…

However, there was nothing much she could do while handcuffed to the desk. She tugged at the base of the monitor stand, trying to see if she could loosen it, and when that didn’t work, she maneuvered around the desk and awkwardly tried to kick at it.

“Going somewhere?”

Lizzie looked up to see George Wickham standing in the doorway, with V right behind him, pointing a gun at her.

“What’s the matter?” Wickham continued, sneering. “Don’t you like the accommodations we’ve provided you?”

“I was surprised. All your other kidnapping victims gave you such good Yelp reviews.”

“What can I say? I know how to show the ladies a good time,” he replied. “Especially your sister.”

Lizzie’s face contorted into a snarl. “Let Lydia go. She has nothing to do with any of this.”

Wickham laughed and settled into a chair just across from Lizzie. “You’re right. She’s not involved in this. You, however, are. You’re the reason for ALL of this, Lizzie.”

“What are you talking about?”

“As I’m sure our good friend William Darcy has explained to you, my father was fired from Pemberley Digital three years ago.”

“Yes, he mentioned that.”

“But I’m guessing he didn’t tell you why. My father was unceremoniously let go from his position at Pemberley, which he had held for most of my entire life, because he was so bereft after the death of my mother that he couldn’t cope. So they fired him.”

This stopped her short. “Oh my god,” Lizzie whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

Wickham’s face suddenly twisted with rage, and he struck her across the face.

“Fuck you!” he yelled. “Do you know how she died? Do you?” He grabbed her by the hair, his eyes boring into hers. “She killed herself. Because of YOU.”

Lizzie’s entire head was in pain, and tears were filling her eyes, but she refused to show fear. “You must be mistaken,” she said, her voice shaking. “I’ve never met you or your mother or anyone ---”

“Scott Price,” he spat at her suddenly. “Does that ring a bell for you?”

“What?”

“Scott Price. Married to Marissa Price.”

The anger she was feeling was quickly replaced by shock. Marissa Price, who lived just outside Longbourn, was one of her very first clients at Lu Investigations. She had been suspicious that her husband Scott was cheating on her, and Lizzie had proved her right.

Wickham had been watching the realization settle on her face. “The woman that he was having an affair with? That was my mother.”

Lizzie felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, and slumped back down on the desk. A memory flitted across her mind, of Marissa Price asking for the contact information of the other woman’s spouse. “He deserves to know who he’s married to,” she had said.

“When my father tried to end their marriage, she ended her life,” Wickham said bitterly. “But you don’t care, do you? It’s just another day on the job for you. You don’t give a shit whose lives you ruin, as long as you get paid, right?”

Lizzie just shook her head.

“And neither does Darcy,” Wickham continued. “My father had dedicated two decades of his life to that company.”

“George,” Lizzie said softly, but he was so lost in his own drama that he didn’t hear her.

“Well, I can play that game too,” he said coldly, turning to Lizzie. “I was the one who got the Hursts to take us in. I was the one who got their head muscle run out of town and took his place. And I’M the one who is going to ruin lives now. Yours AND Darcy’s.” He stood up and walked towards the door as if to leave, but a sudden thought stopped him.

“Actually, you know what? Screw that. I don’t need to ruin your life. I can just end it.”

Lizzie watched in horror as Wickham nodded at V, who walked over to her at the desk where she was still handcuffed. She felt the cold hardness of the barrel pressing against her temple.

Lizzie squeezed her eyes shut. There was time for a single tear to roll down her cheek before a gunshot sounded in her ears.

 

 


	17. Chapter 17

Lizzie’s heart stopped.

It stopped for a brief moment as she realized that the screams of pain she was hearing were not hers. V, whose back had been facing the window, had been shot in the shoulder. Two more shots sounded, and V pitched forward, blood streaming from the wounds in his thighs, his gun flying out of his hands.

Lizzie’s eyes met Darcy’s, and she let out the breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

He started to take aim at Wickham, who immediately slipped out the door.

“Hold tight, Lizzie. Help is coming,” he said, before disappearing from the window.

“What other choice do I have?” she said to herself jokingly.

The relief was short-lived as she realized that V was dragging himself over to where his gun lay on the floor, leaving a bloody trail behind him. Her sense of panic returned as she watched him inch closer and closer.

“HEY! HEY!!!” she yelled, hoping it would help Darcy find her. She heard a thundering of footsteps elsewhere, but none of them were heading in her direction.

She watched in horror as V slithered those last inches, a grimace of pain and hatred plastered on his face. She saw his fingertips graze the butt of the gun and she ducked behind the desk as best she could.

But the gunshots never came. From behind the desk, she watched a pair of smart leather heels enter the room and drag the gun away from V’s hands and then a familiar hand reached down to pick it up.

“Lizzie, are you okay?” Charlotte called out from the doorway. She was pointing the gun at V, who at this point had just given up and laid his head on the ground. Fitz was behind her.

“Peachy,” Lizzie called back.

“Where are the keys to the cuffs?” Charlotte said menacingly to V, who feebly mumbled that they were in his pocket.

Fitz grabbed the keys, being none too gentle with V’s injured legs, and proceeded to free Lizzie from the desk. He proceeded to cuff V behind his back as Lizzie embraced her boss.

Once in the hallway, they found two locked doors. Lizzie was fairly sure she knew whom she would find behind them.

Gigi and Lydia were wobbly, but managed to walk out on their own two feet. Once outside, among the paramedics and law enforcement, Lizzie hugged her baby sister hard enough to bruise her.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, her tears soaking into Lydia’s hair. “I’m so, so sorry.”

As the paramedics evaluated Lydia for injuries, Lizzie sat in the back of the ambulance, sipping a cup of tea while wrapped in a blanket. She watched as Darcy and another crew of men emerged from the house, bringing out V but no Wickham. But then she saw Darcy’s face as Gigi came running up to him, and as he started to cry, so did she.

In the midst of his reunion with his sister, Darcy suddenly lifted his head and looked directly at Lizzie. In his eyes was a mixture of relief, gratitude, and… something else she couldn’t identify, but she suddenly felt her heart swell with a different sort of emotion as their eyes stayed locked on each other.

 

After the whirlwind of paperwork and police reports, Lizzie finally checked out of her hotel in San Francisco with Lydia a few days later. She felt a little guilty about continuing to stay there on Darcy’s dime, but Fitz had insisted.

He was speaking on Darcy’s behalf of course, because Darcy himself was busy with his own business to take care of, not the least of which was making sure Gigi was okay. Lizzie hadn’t gotten to see him at all since the day at the Wickham house.

But she was busy as well. Once they got back home, Lizzie would be helping Lydia to heal, and she promised herself that she would make a concerted effort to forge a better relationship with her baby sister. With Wickham still at large, they were going to have to depend on each other more than ever. The idea that Wickham was still out there made her shudder, though she knew that every law enforcement agency in the Bay Area was on the lookout for him.

Before she could leave town, though, she still had one more thing on her mind. She requested that the driver stop by Pemberley Digital before taking them to the airport. She didn’t know what she was going to do or say when she saw him, but she knew she had to see him. Lizzie wrung her hands nervously as she walked to Darcy’s office.

Caroline was seated at her desk outside his office as Lizzie approached. The expression on her face was none too friendly.

“He’s not here,” she said curtly, turning back to her computer.

Lizzie looked at her expectantly, waiting for any further information. When Caroline said nothing further, she said, “Do you know when he’ll be back?”

“No.” Caroline didn’t even look up this time.

Lizzie sighed and then started to walk away, but on a whim, she turned to address the girl again.

“Caroline, did I do something wrong?”

“What do you mean?” she replied coolly.

“It’s just…” Lizzie hesitated. “We’ve barely spoken, and we definitely don’t know each other, but it seems like you don’t like me very much.”

Caroline rolled her eyes and tossed her perfect hair before responding, “You’re right. We don’t know each other.” She narrowed her eyes. “But you know who I DO know? Darcy. I’ve known him a long time, Lizzie Bennet, and he’s completely different now because of you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Don’t play stupid with me. I know what you’re trying to do. You are trying to seduce him.”

Lizzie let out a shocked laugh. “WHAT?”

“Don’t even try denying it. I’ve seen the way you two talk to each other. It’s plainly obvious what you’re doing.”

Lizzie was flabbergasted.

“Darcy may THINK he’s in love with you,” Caroline continued, “but he’ll realize soon that this is just some fling with a small-town girl who has no business going after men like him. William Darcy is a good man and deserves better than someone like you.”

Lizzie just shook her head in disbelief. “Yeah, you’re right. Darcy IS a good man, and I’d say that he definitely does deserve someone wonderful in his life, but you know what? That’s his decision to make. You know who’s in charge of Darcy’s life? Darcy. And you know who’s in charge of mine? ME. And the same goes for your brother and my sister,” Lizzie added, voicing a suspicion that had suddenly arisen during their conversation.

Caroline just let out an angry breath and shook her head, but Lizzie knew her comment had hit the mark.

Lizzie turned to leave again, but before walking away, she said gently, “If you’re ever in Longbourn, Caroline… please consider yourself welcome at our home.”

Caroline raised an eyebrow at her before turning back to her work.

“Goodbye, Lizzie Bennet.”

 

 


	18. Chapter 18

Lizzie walked her old familiar route to Jane’s favorite cafe, the hem of her dress again rippling in the breeze just as it did that day weeks ago. She was also going there to meet Jane and Bing for lunch, just as she did that day, weeks ago.

There was one obvious difference that she noticed right away, though, as she pushed the door open. There were only Jane and Bing there at the table waiting for her.

Lizzie sighed. Life felt very different these days, especially work. She used to get excited about every case that came in, even if it were just to follow cheating spouses, but she no longer felt the same enthusiasm for chasing the truth as she used to. She still did the work, but her heart just wasn’t quite in it.

Other things were going well though. Lydia was in therapy, and Bing had recently come back to town, for good. With Jane by his side, he told Lizzie and Lydia about his history, and Lizzie realized that it was Wickham who had double-crossed Bing. Luckily, what with the rescue of Gigi and Lydia, the FBI had found enough incriminating evidence to take down Wickham Enterprises and most of the major heads of the Hurst family, so not only was law enforcement looking for George Wickham’s head, but so were the remaining Hursts. Bing was now safe and free to be Bing.

Even just now, he and Jane were making eyes at each other in a way that would be considered vomit-inducing if it were anyone other than Bing and Jane. Lizzie merely looked on, amused and slightly envious.

She took her time getting back to the office after lunch. She was in no hurry, and there were no outstanding cases to be explored that day. She decided to remove her shoes and walk along the water’s edge, watching the waves slide in and out around her toes.

The feeling of peace disappeared when she got to the office and saw that the door was slightly ajar. Charlotte was out of town for the week. She heard a strange _Thump! Thump! Thump!_ echoing through the open door - whoever had broken into her office was also playing with her tennis ball.

Her heart started to beat quickly as she looked around for some sort of rock or brick. She dialed 9-1-1 on her cell phone and held her finger poised over the “Send” button as she gently eased the door open.

When she saw who was sitting in her chair, her heart started beating even faster, but for a completely different reason.

The tennis ball had been en route to the wall, and as she stepped through the doorway, Lizzie intercepted it and then placed it gently back on her desk.

“Nice catch,” Darcy said, standing up.

“I am a woman of many skills,” Lizzie replied, and was rewarded with a smile. “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?” she asked awkwardly.

“No, thanks,” Darcy said. “Well, just _you_ ,” he added nervously after a moment, motioning for her to sit next to him on the waiting area couch.

Lizzie’s eyes widened. “What?”

Darcy took a deep breath. “Lizzie, I owe you an apology.”

“What would you have to apologize for?”

“For starters, everything.” There was a burning intensity in his eyes.

Lizzie shook her head. “Darcy, he was going to come after me anyway --”

“But the main thing right now,” he continued, “is that I didn’t know you had come to see me until yesterday. Before you left San Francisco, I mean.”

Lizzie flushed, remembering.

“Things were very crazy at the time, and you left without saying goodbye. And I didn’t blame you for it - after everything you had seen and been through, I could understand if you never wanted to see or speak to me again. That’s not what I wanted to happen, but I would have understood,” he added. "I assumed when I didn't hear from you that you just wanted to put everything behind you and never look back. 

“But then I found out that you _had_ stopped by Pemberley to look for me and that you had spoken to Caroline,” he continued softly, reaching out to take her hand in his. Lizzie’s heart was racing again. “I heard about what you’d said to her, about my life being my choice and your life being yours… and it got my hopes up. 

“So here I am now. Lizzie Bennet,” he murmured, tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear, “I think I’ve fallen in love with you.”

Their faces were inches apart, his eyes searching hers for her reaction to his declaration. Lizzie responded by closing the distance and pressing her lips to his.

Darcy hadn’t been sure what to expect when he’d shown up at her office, but _this_ , this feeling of his fingers lacing themselves through her hair as the taste of her filled his mouth, was more exquisite than he could have ever imagined. A sound escaped her as they kissed that thrilled him, which may have inadvertently caused him to nip at her lower lip.

She suddenly pulled away, and he immediately felt guilty for getting overexcited, but the expression on her face was not one of anger. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

“Just one sec,” she whispered, and with a wicked glint in her eye, she got up to lock the office door.


	19. Chapter 19

Lizzie was faced with what might possibly be the most difficult task she had ever faced in recent memory: tearing herself away from Darcy long enough to head to the office to check her messages and catch up on emails.

For the past week, Charlotte had been very lenient about giving her newly-promoted Senior PI some time off, but as she was preparing for another trip out of town, Lizzie needed to get back to holding down the fort. And this included the altogether unpleasant notion of spending a few hours alone, in real clothing, rather than being wrapped in sheets with her handsome new boyfriend. (Oh, he had offered to come in with her, of course, but she thought it would be better if they didn’t tempt fate and risk defiling her workplace couch… a second time.)

The hours went by quickly, though, as they usually do when Lizzie was invested in a case. She dove in headfirst to tackle the requests that had been coming in (Lu Investigations had definitely received some press in the past three weeks), and before she knew it, it was late afternoon.

Her phone chimed: _Can you come over right away? It’s important._

It was from Darcy. She found the curtness of his message worrisome. She shut down, locked up, and headed to his hotel, a knot forming in her stomach.

She rushed into the lobby, making a beeline for the elevator, when the concierge stopped her.

“Ms. Bennet, Mr. Darcy is waiting for you on the roof.”

“The roof?” Lizzie was confused.

“Yes, ma’am. We have a private pool on the roof. He asked me to let you know that you could find him there.”

“Um, okay. Is everything all right?”

“That’s all I’m allowed to tell you.” The concierge grinned and then gave her the access code to punch into the elevator.

The knot in her stomach dissolved on the way up to the roof, and once the door opened, she couldn’t help but shake her head.

Darcy was sitting shirtless in a plush lounge chair, sipping a martini and reading a magazine. Behind him was a fully-set table for two, complete with candles and roses.

“I thought you said this was important,” Lizzie said, smiling indulgently as she sat down next to him on his chair and leaned in to kiss him.

“It’s our one-week anniversary. Of course it’s important.”

“You could’ve given me a hint. I rushed over here thinking that something was wrong,” Lizzie pouted.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, sounding anything but as his lips moved against her ear.

“I was in the middle of work, you know,” Lizzie teased in mock-stubbornness. “You may very well have cost me a paying job.”

“You know very well that I would be perfectly happy to pay you for your services if you would let me,” he replied, moving his lips along her collarbone now.

Lizzie chuckled. “Considering our activities of the last week, I don’t think it would be appropriate or legal for me to accept any payment from you for the services _I've_ been rendering.”

“Speaking of…” Darcy’s fingers started working on the buttons of her blouse.

“What do you think you’re doing, Mr. Darcy?” Lizzie asked, smiling.

“I thought maybe we could go for a swim, Ms. Bennet.”

“But I didn’t bring my swimsuit,” she said, feigning innocence as she made absolutely no move to stop him.

“Shh. Trust,” he murmured as he continued undressing her.

It would be hours before either of them made use of the pool. And the stars were twinkling overhead when they finally got around to having dinner, watching the candlelight dance in each other’s eyes.

Wrapped in luxurious robes, they settled onto a lounge chair afterward, holding each other while they sipped champagne and looked at the sky.

“I have to head back to San Francisco soon,” Darcy was saying, stroking her hair.

“I know,” Lizzie said sadly.

“Is there any chance I could talk you into coming with me?” he asked hopefully.

Lizzie shook her head. “Things are starting to pick up around here. I can’t just take off right now, especially since I’ve been spending so much time with you this week already.”

“No, I don’t mean for a short trip. I mean… come WITH me. To San Francisco.”

Lizzie was speechless.

“This isn’t just a selfish whim,” Darcy continued. “I’ve seen you work, Lizzie - you’re amazing. With your knowledge and skills, in a city that big, there would be no shortage of people you could help.”

Lizzie considered this, silently.

“You wouldn’t have to live with me if you don’t want to, but we would at least be near each other. And I have access to resources that could really be beneficial to your business. What do you say?”

Lizzie sat up and gave him a long, searching look before kissing him deeply and lovingly.

At last, she said to him breathlessly, “It’s something I’ll consider for the long run, okay? Let me take my time figuring things out and building up my contacts, and then we’ll talk about this later on down the road. I want to be with you, but this is something I have to do for _me_ first. Okay?”

Darcy nodded, and they kissed again, tenderly at first but before long, the heat between them began to blossom again.

“We should go back to my room,” Darcy said, his breathing uneven as Lizzie’s hands reached under his robe.

“Why?” Lizzie said huskily, “I thought we had this area all night.”

Darcy stifled a moan. “We do, but I don’t want to have to worry about us staying quiet anymore,” he said wickedly, grabbing her hand and leading her to the elevator.

No one from housekeeping was surprised to find two robes strewn across the hallway floor in front of a “Do Not Disturb” sign the next day.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wasn't even part of my original outline, but I decided that I couldn't NOT include that one shot from the DVG gif.


	20. Epilogue

_Six months later_

Lydia Bennet had just gotten out of the shower when the doorbell rang.

Surprised, she got dressed quickly. She wasn’t expecting any company, and there was no one else home - her parents and Jane were at work, and Lizzie was out of town visiting Darcy.

There was no one on her doorstep, but there was a pink envelope tucked under the doormat with her name on it.

Heading back inside, a shiver taking hold of her spine, Lydia opened it and read the card:

_G.W.’s location. Proceed with caution._

The address listed a town about three hours outside of Longbourn, someplace rural and remote that Lydia had only glimpsed from a car window on family trips.

As she drove down the highway, memories flashed through her head of being trapped in that room, of feeling afraid and threatened, and of not knowing if she would ever again see the light of day.

And she thought about all the ways her life had changed since then - sure, there were good things, like being closer to her sisters and knowing for sure that they cared about her and were looking out for her. But there were also bad things, like cringing at every man who looked like either of her two captors and blaming herself for her former drinking habits and then feeling guilt and shame.

And as she watched him from a distance through a pair of binoculars, she thought about the baseball bat she had started keeping in her car lately.

He looked different now - before, he was blond and clean-shaven and devilishly handsome. Now he had long-ish, greasy hair and a beard, both of which were dyed brown. She watched him take out his trash as if he were some sort of normal human being and not some sort of egomaniacal sociopath. And she watched him get into his car and start the engine before she pulled the black hood of her jacket over her head and followed.

He drove a long way to some sort of shopping mall, one of those monstrosities that often sprung up in the middle of nowhere. Lydia wasn’t complaining - she felt right at home at places like that.

Lydia ducked into an empty stairwell, clutching her baseball bat. Her heart was beating fast. She didn’t think she had it in her to end someone’s life, but she knew she could do some serious damage. Turnabout was fair play, after all.

And for some reason, luck was on her side. By the time she spotted him coming out of the mall entrance, it was late evening, and most of the cars that had been there when they arrived were gone. The fluorescent lights were flickering overhead, casting an ominous darkness over just this particular corner of the parking garage.

Slipping silently through the shadows, Lydia raised her bat as she approached...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! That's the end!
> 
> Thank you so much, to anyone who has made it this far and who has commented or given kudos. I really appreciate it, so much :) And of course, major thanks to neither-saint-nor-sinner for putting together the gifset that inspired me in the first place. This was a really fun story to piece together and write. (So can we set up a Kickstarter to get the cast to reunite and make this movie now...?)


End file.
